The Chamber

To his flock of 372 Fascist Deputies, Shepherd Benito said: "Italy is just beginning her very last Parliamentary experiment. If it succeeds, all right; if it fails, Parliament will be suppressed and its place taken by other vehicles of Government. . . . We must, therefore, do everything in our power to govern along new lines and to strive to make the Italian Chamber a model of Parliamentary institutions. Revolutions often obtain results different from those they at first intended. It is, therefore, possible that Fascismo, which began in opposition to Parliament, may lead to a new period of splendor of Parliament."

He then warned the whole Chamber that there must be no disgraceful parliamentary scenes.

A few days later Signor Giunta, Nationalist Deputy, imprudently referred to the Socialists as "that gang" and pointed to the Opposition benches where, unfortunately, perfectly good Constitutionalists sat. Up jumped irate General Roberto Bencivenga, clumped into the centre of the Chamber, followed by a good round hundred equally irate Deputies. A fist fight followed, in which the General was knocked out, and many black eyes, bloody noses and thick ears resulted. Next day the General challenged Deputy Giunta to mortal combat.